Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), 50:50, IV 0.6 dL/g
Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) is a well-established biodegradable copolymer widely studied in biomedical
materials research, including drug delivery and resorbable device development. By varying the lactide-to-glycolide
ratio, key material properties such as degradation behavior and thermal characteristics can be tailored.
Compared with poly(L-lactide) (PLLA), PLGA incorporates glycolide units that generally increase hydrophilicity and
accelerate hydrolytic degradation relative to PLA. Increasing glycolide content is also commonly associated with
reduced glass transition temperatures, depending on molecular weight and processing conditions. These tunable
characteristics make PLGA particularly suitable for applications where material residence times are intended to be
relatively short, such as weeks in certain drug delivery systems.
Key Properties
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Polymer type: Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)
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Monomer ratio: 50:50 (D,L-lactide:glycolide)
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Intrinsic viscosity (IV): 0.6 dL/g
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Degradation behavior: Relatively rapid hydrolytic degradation (composition-dependent)
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Typical use: Biomedical and pharmaceutical research
Specifications
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Inherent viscosity (ηinh): 0.80–1.20 dL/g
Properties
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Solubility: Dichloromethane (DCM), tetrahydrofuran (THF), ethyl acetate, acetone
Applications
- Drug delivery systems (microspheres, nanoparticles, controlled-release matrices)
- Biomedical materials research and degradation studies
- Polymer processing and formulation development
Synonyms
Selected References
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Middleton, J. C., and A. J. Tipton. “Synthetic Biodegradable Polymers as Orthopedic Devices.”
Biomaterials 21, no. 23 (2000): 2335–2346.
doi:10.1016/S0142-9612(00)00101-0
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Grayson, A. C. R., et al. “Multi-Pulse Drug Delivery from a Resorbable Polymeric Microchip Device.”
Nature Materials 2, no. 11 (2003): 767–772.
doi:10.1038/nmat998
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Dawes, G. J. S., et al. “Size Effect of PLGA Spheres on Drug Loading Efficiency and Release Profiles.”
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine 20, no. 5 (2009): 1089–1094.
doi:10.1007/s10856-008-3666-0
FAQs
Common questions about Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), 50:50, IV 0.6 dL/g.
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What does “PLGA 50:50” mean?
It refers to the molar ratio of lactide to glycolide units. A 50:50 ratio is commonly associated with
relatively rapid hydrolytic degradation compared to lactide-rich PLGA grades.
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What does an intrinsic viscosity of 0.6 dL/g indicate?
Intrinsic viscosity is an indirect indicator of polymer molecular weight. An IV of 0.6 dL/g generally
corresponds to a lower molecular weight than higher-IV PLGA grades, depending on measurement conditions.
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How does PLGA differ from PLA?
PLGA contains both lactide and glycolide units, whereas PLA contains only lactide. Glycolide incorporation
generally increases hydrophilicity and accelerates degradation relative to PLA.
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Why is PLGA widely used in biomedical research?
PLGA is extensively studied due to its biocompatibility and predictable degradation behavior, making it a
common material for drug delivery, biomaterials research, and degradation studies.
